Comments

As with just about every Macross-related product these days, I assume the price will be something in the vicinity of "AAAAARRRGGH MY EYES WHY WHY WHY THERE IS NO GOD". Or thereabouts.

It's wonderful that there are lots of top-quality renditions of Macross mecha old and new these days, but it seems as though the flagship toys are invariably $250 or more. It's too big a hit to the wallet for me to consider upgrading from my 10-to-15-year-old Yamato releases and Bandai reissues.

What's dictating the prices? Is it the size of the company, the size of the market, or a mercenary take on how much fans are willing to pay?

I'm definitely willing to take him at his word about the high quality levels that they design for, the factory expenses, etc. I'm sure that if I took the plunge on one of the recent Arcadia releases, I'd find it impeccably engineered and built. (No sarcasm intended there- the products really do look spectacular.)

That said, there's a certain amount of drowning the reader in detail here; if I was inclined to write a piece of that length, I could probably turn my day at work today into an epic tale of challenges met, meticulous work, and testing to the highest possible standards. I'm not saying that my job is equivalent to designing a boutique toy for a demanding, near-fanatical audience - but if I threw enough words at you, you would probably lose the ability to keep a handle on what was being discussed. That's how I felt reading this piece.

Is it possible that there's a vicious cycle at work here? Arcadia is committed to delivering a very high-end product, which commands a correspondingly high price; I assume that they've done their homework and determined that the fans who are buying Macross toys these days are demanding perfection at any cost. So what does that imply for the next round of products?

Bandai did a great thing a few years back by creating the Super Robot Chogokin line and reclaiming the premium-but-not-extravagant market that the Soul of Chogokin line had largely left behind. It's allowed them to make some great toys that they wouldn't otherwise have made, and to get them in the hands of a lot more fans. I feel like Arcadia might be missing an opportunity by not doing the same.

Macross is in a different situation than most properties due to how its products can only be legally sold in Japan. Arcadia is aware of the foreign market, but cannot openly court it. I have heard Evolution Toy is under similar restrictions with their upcoming VF-2SS toy.